Fringe cutting machine



March 19, 1946.

W. A. ROBERTS I FRINGE CUTTING MACHINE '5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 20, 1944 LE .':L

W/zz/A/ A. 0195975,

March 19, 1946.

(1 [III] I 5 W. A. ROBERTS FRINGE CUTTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 20, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w w W/ZZ/AM A; ROBERT-9,

March 19, 1946. w. A. ROBERTS 2,397,047

' FRINGE duTTING MACHINE I Filed Dec. 20, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet s ILET- Patented Mar. 19, 1946 OFFICE FRINGE CUTTING MACHINE- William A. Roberts, Paterson, N. J'., assignorof one-half to Thomas W. Roberts, Paterson,

Application December 20, 1944,, Serial No. 569,087

'7 Claims.

My invention is a fringe-cutting machine.

An important object of the invention is to pro vide means for severing the fringe adjacent to the selvedge or longitudinal edge and adjacent to the intermediate portion of a continuous fabric strip while it is being fed longitudinally.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for holding the fringe taut during the severing action.

A further object of the invention is to center the intermediate fringe with respect to the cutter, so that the fringes produced will be of the precise desired length.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above-mentioned character which is rapid, automatic, and reliable in oper: ation.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for separating the severed selvedge or edge and the fringe-carrying fabric and winding the same in separate rolls.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for moving the hooks for stretching the fringe and rendering the hooks adjustable for controlling their extent of movement.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description:

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout same,

Figure l is a fragmentary plan view of a section of fringe-carrying fabric, in connection with which my machine is used,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine,

Figure 2a is a section taken on line Za-Za of Figure 2,

Figure '3 is a longitudinal section through .the fabric advancing and stretching device, parts broken away and parts omitted, showing the hooks in the inner position,

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the same, parts broken "away,

Figure '5 is a longitudinal section through the fabric advancing and stretching device, parts broken away and parts omitted, showing the hooks in the outer position,

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the same,

Figure 7 is a plan view "of the fabric advancing and stretching device,

Figure 8 is a transverse 8-8 of Figure'l, Figure 9 is a similar view, "taken on lineS-i'l of Figure 7,

section taken on line Figure 10 is a similar view, taken on line Ill-l0,

Figure 11 is a longitudinal section taken on line H-Il of Figure 7,

Figure 12 is a horizontal section taken on line |2-| 2 of, Figure 10. I

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral l0 designates uprights of a vertical frame having arms l I, provided with bearings t2, receiving a roller 13, having the fringe-carrying fabric I4 wound thereon, This fringe-carrying fabric is passed over an upper horizontal guide roller I 5, rotatably mounted upon the, tops of the uprights l0. s also passes over a lower guide roller l6 and is wound upon a take-up roller [1.

The fabric I4 is woven and includes pairs of transverse sections I8, connected by a transverse intermediate fringe 19, formed by the woof, with they filling beinglomittedr At the outer ends of the sections 1.8, are fringes 20, formed by the filling and the omission of the W001, and these fringes are provided at their outer ends with a selvedge oredge 2!, usually containing three woof threads, Arranged between the inner ends of the sections IB'is an intermediate longitudinal fring 22., formed by the filling and the omission of the woof threads. The fabric thus produced is continuous and is wound upon the roller l3 and paid out from the same.

Arranged between the guide rollers l5 and I6 is afabric advancing and stretching device [8. This device comprises a horizontal transverse shaft 21], journaled in bearings formed upon uprights'il. This shaft isfree to rotate but cannot j move longitudinally. The shaft 20' is equipped with a pulley 22", receiving rotation from any suitable source. The fabric is preferably advanced about fifty yards per minute, although thisrate pf speed maybe varied. Rigidlymount'ed upon the shaft 2-0 near its opposite ends are outer pairs of cylindrical discs 24. Each disc '24 is provided "in its periphery with radial notches 2-5, which are preferably square in cross section. These notches are arranged suitably closet-ogether and their number may be varied. In each pair, thenotches of one disc 24 are in alignment with the-notches of the other disc 24, and the aligned notches in one pair of discs are in alignment with the aligned notches in the other pair of discs.- In connection with each pair of discs 2d, the notches 25 receive reciprocatory carriers ror :rods '26, and the portions of these rods within the notches 25 are square in cross section so that the carriers or rods may move longi- The fabric gaging the lower portion of these annular groups,

usually corresponding to about one-fourth of the circumference of the annular groups. The outwardly projecting radial hooks 29 pass between the strands of the fringes and are arranged between the fabric sections 18 and the selvedges 2!, at a selected speed, the annular groups ofv carriers or rods 26 and hooks 29 engaging with the fringe serve to feed or advance thefabric longitudinally.

The numeral 30 designates an intermediate pair of discs, rigidly mounted upon the shaft 26' and disposed adjacent to the intermediate fringe 22. The fabric sections I8 extend over the peripheries of the discs 30, Figure 3. These discs 36 are provided with radially projecting inclined fingers' 3l, con-verging outwardly. These fingers preferably correspond in number and arrangement to the carriers or rods 26. The fingers 31 pass between the strands of the intermediate fringes, and if the intermediate fringes were slightly off center with respect to the cutter, .to be described, these fingers would accurately center the intermediate fringe. The discs 30 and fingers 3 i also aid in feeding the fabric longitudinally.

Means are provided to control the reciprocatory movement of each annular set of rods 26. Thismeans comprises a stationary cam disc 32, having an opening 33, through which the shaft 26' passes. The cam disc 32 is rigidly mounted upon a bracket 34' by means of bolts 34', and this bracket has a horizontal foot 35', provided with elongated slots 36', for receiving bolt 31' or the like for;clamping' the bracket 34 to the upright l6; The cam disc .32 and bracket 34 are therefore adjustable axially of the rotatable device 18' and its shaft 20'. The cam disc 32 constitutes an end thrust cam having a high face 34a and a low face 35. The lower face 35 extends for about onefourth of the circumference of the cam disc 32, while the high face 34a extends for the remaining three-fourths of the circumference. There are inclined faces 36a atthe ends of the low face 35, as shown. The stationary cam disc 32 is so mounted that the low face 35 is arranged to coincide with the'lower portion of the annular group of carriers or rods 26, with which the fringes 20 engage. The rods 26 are urged outwardly by the springs 28, and this outward movement is prevented by the outer ends of the rods engaging the high face 34'. When each rod26 travels from the high face 34 to the low face 35, its spring 28 moves itlongitudinally outwardly, and this outward movement is limited by the rod engaging the low face 35. Each hook 29 passes between the strands of the fringe 20, and as each carrier or rod 26 is shifted outwardly, such hook 29 engages the selvedge or edge 2! and the. fabric is pulled in the directionoutwardly and longitue dinally of the device [8, fand'the fringes 20 and 22placed'under tension; It is thus seen. thatas the 'sections'l8 of the fabric pass beneath. and

When the shaft 26' is continuously rotated about the annular sets of carriers or rods 26, they are guided, supported, and advanced by these rods, which at the same time subject the fringes 26 and 22 to a longitudinal pull to hold them taut. When each rod 26 again travels upon the high face 34' of the cam disc, it is shifted inwardly so that the hook 29 is returned to the inner position, to occupy the, proper relative position, .to be again passed between the strands of the fringes 20, being advanced toward the same.

Means are provided to sever the fringes 26 and 22', comprising rotary cutters 31 and 38, mounted upon a horizontal transverse shaft 36, journaled in suitable bearings, This shaft receives rotation from a pulley lllfand the cutters are driven at a that each strand of the fringes 26 and 22 is brought into engagement with the rotary cutter, while the strand is held taut, and this permits the cutter to properly severthe strand. The rods 26, which'hold'the strandstaut during the cutting step, remain in the outer position until the severingis completed, after which these rods move inwardly,as-explained. The fringes 26 are severed as close to the selvedges or edges 2i as is practical, while'the intermediate fringe 22 is severed at its true longitudinal center. As stated, the inclined fingers 3| center the intermediate fringe 22 with respect to the cutter 38, and this action is compensated for by the springs 28 of the rods 26, when these rods move outwardly. The centering of the intermediate fringe is ordinarily slight.

The continuous'section of fabric is therefore severed into two longitudinal parts and two longitudinalselvedges. The longitudinal fabric parts are wound upon the roller 11, while the severed selvedges 2! are passed between a pair of rollers 39 and 4'6, the selvedge being preferably wound once around the upper roller. These rollers separate theselvedge from the fringe and may discharge the selvedge into a receptacle. It is preferred that the rollers 39- and 4D retain the selvedge between the roller 39' and the fringe slightly taut, so that there will be no liability of the selvedge'bein'g caught by the hooks. The roller 39' may be driven by any suitable means and it is preferred that it; be driven by friction clutch means so 'that such drivingfmeans will slip if the tension on the selvedge becomes too great. The roller [1 may be driven by any suitable means to take up theyfabric andthere may be a slack in the fabric between the rollers [6 and IT.

The operationof the machine is as follows:

The fabric. l4, woven as described, is wound upon the roller l3 and is paid out from the same. This fabric passes overthe roll l5 and'beneath and about'the annular sets of carriers or rods 26 of the device l8, and, then passes over the roller I 6 and is wound upon thetake-up roller IT. The outer fringes 20 have their ends connected by the selvedges 2|, and these outer fringes. engage and are supported, guided,and advanced by the annular sets of carriers or rods 26. The hooks 29 of the carriers or rods are .passed between the strands of the fringes 25, when the carriers or V rods 26 are in the inner position, and the carriers pulling outwardly axially of the device l8. The fringes are thus held taut, and as each fringe is brought into engagement with the rotary cutter, it is severed, Shortly after the severing action, each rod or carrier 26 engages the high face 34' and is shifted inwardly so that its hook is positioned axially inwardly of the selvedge 2|.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in size, shape, and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a machine for manipulating a continuous fabric strip having outer fringes provided with selvedges, a support, payout means for the fabric mounted upon the support, guide means for the fabric mounted upon the support, a rotatable device mounted upon the support to engage and stretch the fabric, said rotatable device including outwardly projecting generally radial fingers to pass between the strands of the fringes inwardly of the selvedges, means to move the fingers outwardly toward the selvedges to hold the fringes taut, and means to sever the taut fringes.

2. In a machine for maniplating a continuous fabric strip having outer fringes provided with selvedges, a support, payout means for the fabric mounted upon the support, guide means for the fabric mounted upon the support, a rotatable device mounted upon the support to engage and stretch the fabric, said device comprising a rotatable support, carriers mounted upon the rotatable support to move axially with relation thereto, outwardly projecting generally radial fingers secured to the carriers to pass between the strands of the fringes inwardly of the selvedges, means to move the carriers axially outwardly to bring the fingers into engagement with the selvedges for holding the fringes taut and then move the fingers axially inwardly, and means to sever the fringes while held taut.

3. In a machine for manipulating a continuous fabric strip having outer fringes provided with selvedges and an intermediate fringe, a support, payout means for the fabric mounted upon the support, guide means for the fabric mounted upon the support, a rotatable device mounted upon the support to advance and stretch the fabric, said device including a rotatable support, carriers mounted upon the rotatable support to reciprocate axially of the rotatable support, outwardly projecting generally radial fingers mounted upon the carriers to pass between the strands of the outer fringes inwardly of the selvedges and to engage with the selvedges when the carriers are moved axially outwardly, means to reciprocate the carriers, and cutters arranged to sever the outer fringes and the intermediate fringe.

4. In a machine for manipulating a continuous fabric strip having outer fringes provided with selvedges and an intermediate fringe, a support, payout means for the fabric mounted upon the support, guide means for the fabric mounted upon the support, a rotatable device mounted upon the support to advance the fabric and stretch the same, said rotatable device including a rotatable support, carriers mounted upon the rotatable support to reciprocate axially of the rotatable support, outwardly projecting generally radial fingers secured to the carriers to pass between the strands of the outer fringes inwardly of the selvedges, spring means to move the carriers axially outwardly, cams arranged to engage the outer ends of the carriers, and cutters arranged to sever the outer fringes and intermediate fringe.

5. In a machine for manipulating a continuous fabric strip having outer fringes provided with selvedges and an intermediate fringe, a support, payout means for the fabric mounted upon the support, guide means for the fabric mounted upon the support, a rotatable device mounted upon the support to engage the fabric, said rotatable device including a rotatable support, carriers mounted upon the rotatable support to reciprocate axially of the rotatable support, outwardly projecting generally radial fingers secured to the carriers to pass between the strands of the outer fringes inwardly of the selvedges, yielding means to move the carriers axially outwardly, end thrust cams arranged to engage the outer ends of the carriers, means to adjust the cams axially of the rotatable device and hold the same in the selected adjusted position, and means to sever the fringes.

6. In a machine for manipulating a continuous fabric strip having outer fringes provided with selvedges and an intermediate fringe, a support, guide means for the fabric mounted upon the support, a rotatable device mounted upon the support for co-action with the fabric, said rotatable device including a rotatable support, outwardly projecting generally radial fingers mounted upon the rotatable support to pass between the strands of the outer fringes inwardly of the selvedges, means to move the fingers axially outwardly of the rotatable support into engagement with the selvedges, means mounted upon the rotatable support to pass between the strands of the intermediate fringe and center the intermediate fringe, and cutters to sever the outer fringes and intermediate fringe.

7. In a machine for manipulating a continuous fabric strip having outer fringes provided with selvedges and an intermediate fringe, a rotatable device for co-action with the fabric, said rotatable device including a rotatable support, outwardly projecting generally radial fingers mounted upon the rotatable support to pass between adapted to be passed between the strands of the intermediate fringe to center the intermediate fringe, and means to sever the outer fringes and the intermediate fringe.

WILLIAM A. ROBERTS. 

